DAREDEVIL: THE LOST TALES

Irwin Allen TV Show Part 4

Welcome back for the fourth part of my look at the unproduced Irwin Allen Daredevil TV show from 1983. We're more than halfway through the script. Last week we left off where Daredevil saved a child from the tenement that was purposely set on fire by the building manager. Ben Urich also met the hero in costume for the first time.

ACT THREE (Part 2)

It's the next day, and in Matt's office, Freddie is reading the headline of the morning paper and Matt, Karen and Foggy are present.

"Daredevil Saves Boy in Burning Building!" Freddie says out loud. Karen says the city could use a lot more heroes like this daredevil. Foggy is not impressed... "he's obviously someone seeking attention". Freddie starts to take offense, but he hears Matt clear his throat and he stops himself. Karen says she'd like to meet him, but Foggy boasts that if he were on the scene, he would have played the role of hero with more dignity. Karen just says "Daredevil" must be one hunk of a man... and Freddie grins "He sure is!".

The scene cuts to Leopold's office. Rias has come to see him and Tanner is also there. Rias is nervous and sweating profusely. He tells Leopold that he is going to lay low for a while, as the "Daredevil" guy spotted him at the scene of the fire. Leopold says it's a good idea, and Rias moves off quickly and says he'll be in touch.

As soon as he's gone, Leopold turns to Tanner. "You heard him, he wants to lay low. Make sure it's for a long, long time. The bottom of the ocean should be low enough." Tanner also asks about this "Daredevil". Leopold says not to worry about him, it's Matt Murdoch (with an "h") who worries him most.

The scene cuts again, onto a closeup of a large crane at a pier. It is pulling something very heavy out of the water. It is Rias's dead body; his feet are cast in a block of cement.

The angle widens to show Matt and Ben are standing nearby. Ben asks Matt what their next move is now that Rias is dead. Matt says he should chat with Oscar Novak, the attorney. Ben says he should be careful, as Novak is known to have hired muscle. "I'll be okay, they won't feel threatened by someone like me."

Later, Matt and Herbert approach the gate of a sprawling estate. It is surrounded by a stone wall and protected by the latest security devices. A camera watches them. Off screen, some dogs are barking, and then we see the two pit-bulls walking down the driveway in front of a "short, powerful and ugly mean" man, who unfortunately is given the name "The Oriental" in the script. It's 1983, remember.

Freddie is parked across the street, keeping a watchful eye on the scene.

When the hired goon finally reaches the gate, Herbert runs away, terrified of the dogs. Matt hands a card to Novak's man. "What you want, Mr. Murdoch?". Matt asks for Mr. Novak. "He not here. Out of country." Matt's inner voice lets the audience know that "The Oriental" is telling the truth. "Sorry to have troubled you".

Matt returns to his car. Freddie and Matt joke with Herbert about his bravery. They give the dog a look. The dog is embarrassed...

...and the scene dissolves to nighttime in front of the Novak estate. Daredevil is flattened against a wall, making sure the cameras don't see him. At the rear of the estate, Freddie lights some firecrackers and tosses them over the wall.

Cut to Daredevil, smiling as he hears the firecrackers popping. The guard dogs all run off to the back towards the noise.

Daredevil waits for the camera to move again. He does a running leap and somersault over the wall and moves stealthily towards the house. He approaches a window, but notices the alarm cables attached to it. He lifts it carefully and slides into the house.

Suddenly, a high pitched sound starts, causing him to stagger. He finds the source of the alarm and throws his billy club at it. It shatters into pieces. Daredevil picks up his billy club and enters the study, and his radar picks up a large safe in the wall next to Novak's desk. He moves to the safe and puts his ear to it. We can hear the tumblers falling into place. The safe opens, and Daredevil pulls out a heavy black ledger book. The book documents all the payments made to Novak by Mallory Leopold's Westside Development Corporation (DD reads this with his fingers). So Novak bought the buildings from Leopold then sold them back to him.

The angle widens to reveal "The Oriental"'s huge frame filling the doorway. Daredevil is unaware, as the goon is outside the 25-foot range of his radar sense.

"The Oriental" charges, and DD reacts as his sense become alerted to the danger.

After a full two minutes of fighting, DD finally sends "The Oriental" flying head first into the open safe. His body is wedged tightly inside.

Daredevil picks up the book. "I think I'll leave you there for safe keeping."

The scene dissolves to the next day, at Matt's office. The ledger is open on the desk. Matt is talking on the phone "I've got the proof that Mallory Leopold is the owner of those buildings that burned down"

At the police station, Captain Cody is on the phone with Matt. "How'd you get the book? Daredevil? Aren't you involved in a lawsuit with Novak?" Cody thinks Matt is out of his mind and hangs up.

Back in the office, Matt, Foggy, Karen and Freddie are all present.

"He didn't believe me!" Matt says. "I hardly blame him," Foggy says.

The team learns that Leopold had permits to build a convention center downtown, but couldn't get approvals to tear down the tenements, so he burned them down.
If construction doesn't start in three days, the city will restore the tenements as part of their low-rent housing development project. There's only one building standing in their way.

"The police won't listen! I've got to confront Leopold with what I've got on him."

Foggy says he'll lock the book in a safe. It will be Matt's insurance policy so Leopold doesn't try to kill Matt again.

Cut to: Construction Project, daytime

A sign says "Westside Development Corporation" and Freddie is parked outside. He quickly gets out of the car and races by a guard and heads for the entrance of the building.

Inside, Tanner is leading Matt up a flight of stairs. "Sorry about the elevator," he says. Suddenly, Matt realizes where he has heard that voice. Tanner says Leopold's office is just down the hall. But he's really leading him towards an open elevator shaft.

As Tanner is about to push Matt, Freddie comes racing down the hall, with the guard in pursuit. Freddie's shout turns Matt around, but Tanner shoves Matt hard. Freddie screams as Matt falls backwards into the open shaft and the act ends with a freeze frame.